Enterprise Dispatch Blog

WRIGHT COUNTY, MN – Wright County DFL Senate District 18 will host its own convention, separate from Wright County Senate District 19, Saturday, Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cokato City Hall.
About two years ago, the Wright County DFLers decided it would be more beneficial to have two separate organizations since state senators and state representatives are chosen by districts, not counties, according to Chad Tschimperle, unit member.
It’s merely an organizational change, according to Paul Huselid, acting chair.
Senate District (SD) 18B includes the western cities of Wright County including Annandale, Cokato, Howard Lake, and South Haven, along with the townships of Cokato, Corrina, French Lake, Middleville, Stockholm, and Southside. It also covers all of Meeker and parts of McLeod County.
During Saturday’s meeting, the new unit will elect officers and delegates to the state DFL convention, and adopt a constitution. Also expected to speak at the unit convention are DFL gubernatorial candidates.
Senate District 18 covers Meeker County, McLeod County, and the western edge of Wright County and it will host its convention Sunday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. at the Cokato City Hall.
At this time, SD 18B will endorse their candidates, Darrin Anderson of Litchfield for state representative; and Hal Kimball of Cokato for state senate.
“We’re excited to be forming out here and concentrating on our area, as well as getting our candidates elected,” Tschimperle said.
Having a smaller territory will make it easier to get the DFL candidates elected, Huselid said.
Separating into smaller units is something that has worked for the DFL party in other senate districts across the state, Huselid said.
“[Democrats] seem to be positive as to what’s going on,” Huselid said. “It’s slowly changing out here,” he said, explaining voter turnout for Republican and Democratic caucuses were about the same.